Everyday Business

Local auto supply store donates to Wenatchee FFA

Ron Berschauer of Jerry's Auto Supply hands a check to Julia Spangler, president of the FFA chapter at Wenatchee High School, along with FFA treasurer Kaden Gravelle (with Wix box) and advisor Dan Ellwood.

If you’ve been staying awake nights worrying over how Wenatchee FFA students are gonna pay for a trip to the state convention — and who hasn’t? — then you can rest easy. They’ll do it with the help of box tops.

Jerry’s Auto Supply and one of their big suppliers, Wix Filters, on Monday gave Wenatchee High School’s FFA a check for more than $2,100. The money will help fund a trip next May for up to 30 members of the group attending the state gathering in Pullman.

The kids received the check after collecting 8,645 box tops from packages of Wix Filters used by Jerry’s customers, including those at fruit packing operations, maintenance shops, auto and tractor repair garages — heck, you name it. Jerry’s sells about 90,000 Wix Filters (for oil, fuel, water, air and coolant systems) to these outfits every year.

Wix donated 25 cents per box top to the FFA cause. It’s part of the North Carolina-based company’s national push to help fund FFA activities across the country.

Jerry’s has sponsored the filter funding in past years, but in 2012 the students labeled 5-gallon buckets with FFA, Wix and Jerry’s logos. They placed the buckets in strategic spots in maintenance sheds and garages so it was easy for mechanics to toss in a box top — thus making a donation.

Ron Berschauer, president of the Jerry’s Auto Supply, said, “We’ve had moderate success with this program in the past, but this year the buckets made a big difference. The kids did a smart thing to place those buckets as a reminder of all the good work by FFA.”

“It really helps some kids pay for a trip they might not be able to afford otherwise,” said Julia Spangler, 18, president of the WHS FFA chapter. “This (money) really is a huge help.”